Starting-crank for engines.



W. H. FRICK & A. J. MARTIN.

STARTING CRANK FOR ENGINES.

APPLICATIONl FILED DEC. 14. 1915.

Patemed Jan. 2,1917.

WILLIAM H. rmox AND ARCHIBALD J. MARTIN, 'or BHILADEPHIA, rnnNsYLvANIA.

STARTING-CRANK FOR ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Batent.

' Patented Jan. 2, 1917.

Application file December 14, 1915. Serial No. 66,786.

To all 'whom 'it 'may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM H. FBIGK and AROHIBALD J. MARTIN, citizens of the United States and Great Britain, respectively, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Starting-Cranks for Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to starting mechanism for internal combustion engines, and an object thereof is to provide mechanism for facilitating the cranking of said engines.

Another object of the present invention is to provide ,mechanism of the above haracter whereby the crank shaft of a otor can be rotated by a segmental movement of a cranking arm; the mechanism being of such formation as to retain the compression in an engine regardless of the action of the rotating element after the same has been p-artially revolved. p

A further object is the provision of a cranking device for explosive engines embodying mechanism of novel construction designed 'to eliminate the liability of accidents occurring to the operator thereof in the event of the engine backfiring.

A still further object is to provide a simple yet eificient device for the above p-urposes, which is capable of being readily attached to mechanically propelled Vehicles, without necessit'ating alterations in the construction of the latter;

Other obiects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The'invention accordingly consists inv the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction herein described and the scope of the application of which will be indicated' in the following claims:

In the accompanying drawings where isV site direction to Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a transcranking or ers'e1 sectional view on the line 4-4 of Similar'reference characters refer to' similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings. I Referring to the drawings, and more partlcularly'to Figs. '1 to 5 inclusively, there 1s shown a form of the present invention designed p'rimarily for operation in con- Junction with explosive motors wherein considerable force 'of power has to be expended with the view of cranking the same, In order to facilitate the startingl .of'an englne of this' nature, and' to prevent perons cranking the same from becoming injured as a result of baok-firing occurring in the cylinders, are'theehief .aims of this form o With these and other purposes in view, there is provided an engine starting mechanism I10, comprising a?V substantially circular casing 11 adapted'too-'bez'slidably connected with the frame 12,1.'or other convenlent pomt of a vehicle, not shown. The o asmg 11 is of relatively 'hollow constructron, being formed with an enlarged annular Chamber 13 and a reduced communi- 'cating bore 14.

Extending into the Chamber 13, through an axial opening 15 formed in the inner slde. wall of the casing 11, is a cranking shaft 16, which serves to support the casing and is constructed to move longitudinally with the latter. The frame 12 is formed with an opening 17 for the reception of the shaft 16 and is also provided with angular bracket 18, in which is formed a shaft receiving opening 19. The openings 17 and 19 form bearin'gs for the shaft 16 which, 1n turn, assists in supporting the casing 11. Formed on the inner end of the shaft 16 is a clutch face 20, which is adapted to cooperate with a similar face, not shown, on the cranking end of a motor shaft when the engine is desired to be cranked. The normal position of the clutch 20 is out of engagement with the clutch of the engine shaft, being caused by the action of a coiled springv 21 confined between the bracket 18 and a oollar 19' secured to the shaft 16. When the shaft is rotated to crank the engine, the casing 11 is moved inwardly against the tension of the spring 21 until the clutch faces coperate. The casing 11 is further supported in operative position by forming on the bottom thereof a depending lug 22, the latter being provided with` a squared stud member 23, extending horizontally into a simila1'ly"fo1'med socket in a bracket 24. The casing 11 is spaced from the bracket 24 in order that the same may be forced inwardly a suflicient distance to permit the engagement of the clutch faces. Means 25 on the outer end of the stud 23 limit the rearward movement of the casing.

In order to rotate the shaft 16 there is provided a crank arm 26, formed with the usual handle or grip 27, at its normal lower end, and a central hexagonally shaped socket 28 the socket being adapted to receive a similarly formed extension 29 on, what will be termed for purposes of description,` an outer collar 30. I The collar is stepped in section, as idicated in Fig. 1, and has formed on'its outermost circumference a series of angular recesses 31, in which are positioned rollers or bearings 32.' Surrounding the collar 30 is an inner cup shaped collar 33 which is rotatable about the shaft 16, and is formed with an inner compartment 34 to receive the collar 30 and other members to be hereinafter described. It will be manifest that upon rotating the crank arm 26 in a clockwise direction, the collar 30 will be revolved, resulting in the rollers 32 vwedging between the inclined faces of the recesses 31 and the periphery of the compartment 34, thereby causing the synchronous rotation of the collar 33 with the arm 26 and associated collar 30, in the same direction.

The movement of the inner collar 33 is transmitted to the shaft 16 by forming the latter With a squared extremity, 35, which is 'fitted within a correspondingly formed socket 36 in a sleeve 37, so that said sleeve will rotate in unison with the shaft. Keyed to the sleeve 37 is a Slidable friction disk 38 which coperates, for rotary movement, with the collar 33 by the pressure of a disk spring 39. A wear receiving disk 40 is interposed between the driven disk 38 and the collar 33 and is loosely mounted upon the sleeve 37. In order to regulate the tension of the spring 37 upon the disk 38, the outer end of the sleeve 37 is externally threaded to receive a threaded nut 41, having'a face thereof engaging with the spring 39 so that upon the longit'udinal adjustment of the nut 41 the spring can be regulated to exert a more or less pressure uponl the friction disks 38 and 40, the nut 41 is adjusted exteriorly of the casing 11 by'providing the same with an elongated shank. 42, which extends through a longitudinal bore 43 formed in the collar 30, said shank extending slightly beyond the outer face of the arm 26 and is formed with a wrench receiving surface so that by rotating the shank at this point the adjustment of the `nut and coperating spring is efi`ected. A

set screw 45 extends through a central, bore formed in the shank 42, and is threaded into the sleeve 37 so as to bear against the end of the shaft 16 to lock the nut 41 against undue movement. By this construction it will bel evident, that the rotation of the inner collar 30, results in imparting a similar movement to the outer collar 33. This rotary movement is transmitted to the cranking sliaft 16, by the coperation of the ``spring pressed friction disks 38 and 40, the former of which being rotatablewith the shaft 16. The function of the rollers 32, resides chiefiy in uniting the collars 30 and 33 for unitary movement. Other rollers 45' are positioned in recesses 46 formed upon the outer face of an extended boss 47 of the collar 33, and said rollers 45', under certain conditions, are adapted to enga'ge with the peripheral wall of the bore 14. v

The inclined walls 48 of the recesses 46 are disposed at an angle opposite or in counter relation to that of the similar faces of the recesses 31, in order that when the collars 30 and 33 are rotating in unison, the rollers 45' will be idle in the enlarged ends of the recesses 46, thereby permitting the unhindered rotation of the collar 33. However, in the event of the engine back-firing, a sharp anti-' clockwise movement will be imparted to the collar 33, which will result in the rollers 45' wedging between the inclined surfaces of the recesses 46 and the annular wall of the compartment 14 of the casing 11. This operation causes the initial force or impact of the reverse explosion to be absorbed by the nonrotatable casing 11, thereby preventing any movement on part of the crank arm 26 as the collar 33 will be locked against movement. However, the entire force of the premature eXplosion will not be expended upon or absorbed by the casing 11 after the collar 33 'ceases to rotate as the friction disks 38 and 40 will permit of a certain amount of movement by overcoming the influence of the spring 39 and thereby relieving the strain placed upon the casing. The spring 39, however, exerts sufficient pressure upon the disks 38 and 40 and coperating members to prevent the compression, created in the engines, from being lost upon releasing the crank arm 26, because of the frictional contact between the disks 38 and 40 and the temporarily stationary collar 33. It is` only when the additional pressure, caused by back-firing, is placed upon the disks that the latter Will rotate.- By this construction it will be evident that in crankingan engine the arm 26 may be rotated to any degree or point upon its arc of rotation and may then be dropped back to its initial position to obtain a fresh leverage, without causing a similar movement of the crank shaft and a corresponding loss of compression in the cylinders which would necessitate the recranking of the engine. It Will be-further noted that the sleeve 37 is provided with an integral collar 52, the function of which is to space the collar 38 from the casing 11 so as to eliminate friction between'these two members. Ring members 49 and 50 retain the collars 30 and 33 Within the casing 11 and are readily removable to permit the inclosed parts to be conveniently removed or device is of such a character that it may be' readily applied as an attachment to the present form of automobilcs, without involving any alterations in the construction of the Vehicles, and when applied, the parts being so compactly related that the device Will in no Way mar the appearance' of the Vehicles, but on the other hand, Will enhance it.

As many changes could be made in the above construction, and many apparcntly Widely different embodiments of this invention could be made Without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying (lrawings shall be interpretcd as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. A

VVhile roller bearings have been disclosed, in the drawings, and are preferred because of their greater positivcness in driving, it is manifest that any Well known form of Wedge acting elements or ball bearings, capable of transmitting motion from one to the other of the rings or collars without slipping, may be, used, and is the equivalent of the roller bearings.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new, is

1. AI starting device for internal combustion motors, lthe combination of a motor starting shaft, resilient means for retaining said shaft normally spaced from the crank-shaft of a motor, means for forcing said shaft into a rotatable relation with said crank shaft, a rotatable collar secured to one extremity of said shaft, inclined recesses formed upon. said collar, a non-rotatable casing supported by said motor starting shaft and formed with an axial internal bore, rollers positioned in said recesses land adapted for coperation with the'wall of said bore for preventing movement of said collar upon the rotation of said motor starting shaft in a backward direction, said collar being formed with an annular chamber, a rotatable member positioned within said chamber provided With inclined recesses upon the outer face thereof, the faces of said inclined recesses being disposed re-' versely to the previously mentioned recesses, and rollers positioned in therecesses of said rotatable member and coacting With the wall of said chamber for rotating said` collar and shaft upon the forward movement of said rotatable member.

2. In a cranking mechanism for internal combustion motors, a non-rotary casing, a. manually operated member rotatable Within said casing, said member being provided with inclined recesses, a revoluble collar in said casing, means disposed within said recesses for revolving said collar upon the rotation of said member in a specified direction, a reduced extension formed upon said collar and operable within said casing, said extension being formed with recesses diversely to the recesses in the rotatable member, rollers positioned in said recesses and designed for coperation with an annular Wall of the casing upon a reverse movement of said collar to lock'the latter against further movement, spring pressed disks coperating with a relatively flat wall of said collar to impartl movement from the collar to the disk, means for varying the tension 01' frictional relation between said disks and collar, and means for transmitting motion from said disks to a motor cranking shaft.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures.

WILLIAM H. FRICK.v ARCHIBALD J. MARTIN. 

